Deirdre Ng Sing Kwong

Whilst completing a Master of Conservation Science at the University of Queensland, I had the opportunity to complete a six-month research project under the supervision of Professor Peter Mumby. My project focused on marine reserves across the Caribbean and their potential efficacy for fisheries benefit. Marine protected areas have been widely used as a tool for conservation and fisheries management, however few studies have examined how larval dispersal and population connectivity impact fisheries benefit. Using a spatial connectivity model, catch benefit estimates of four regions of the Caribbean with distinct connectivity patterns were compared. We found that Bonaire seemed to achieve the most catch benefit, followed by the Bahamas, Belize and the Lesser Antilles. Ultimately, our research found that reserve efficacy is highly sensitive to MPA placement, and reserve networks designed to incorporate larval dispersal and benefit fisheries can support sustainable management and conservation outcomes.

Since completing my studies, I have completed an internship at the Conservation Ecology Centre in the Otways of Victoria. The CEC is a non-profit organisation dedicated to ecological research and management to achieve conservation goals in the Otways region. I had the chance to spend lots of time in the field, including koala density surveys, camera traps for invasive species management, and live trapping for Long-nosed Potoroos.

My time at UQ and with MSEL has been invaluable, and I have gained many skills that will serve me well outside of university. I hope to continue pursuing a career in conservation in the future, wherever that may take me